Development of a prototype for a continuous industrial production of fried eggs

Abstract

The society is in constant development; lifestyles and routines are also quickly changing. This gives opportunity for new products to appear according to consumer needs. In developed societies, people’s activities are increasing, and therefore they look for products that enable them to 'save time'. The food is no exception: the number of meals eaten outside the home as well as pre-cooked meals is increasing rapidly, which promotes changes in eating habits. Eggs (as well as egg products) are present in the gastronomy all over the world. Its nutritional properties, allied to its low price, allow its dissemination and consumption by all social classes and different cultures. Eggs can be cooked in various ways: they can be boiled, fried, and serve as scrambled eggs or as an omelet. They are also used in pastries, as cake dough ingredients or cream fillings or toppings, being also used in the manufacture of protein drinks and shakes. Eggs present different properties depending on their species; the development of the project herein referred will consider only Gallus gallus eggs, commonly known as chicken eggs. The existence of an industrial process of frying eggs will enable a better guarantee of food safety for the processed egg. This product warranty is achieved through a combination of the quality certification of the raw egg and the automatic control of the frying process (time, temperature, amount of oil, degree of cleaning, and disinfection of processing equipment, etc.). The appearance of new food products in the area of pre-cooked meals requires the development and/or technology adaptation to its processing, fulfilling the growing demands for food safety, which imposes certain requirements that equipments must meet in order to ensure food quality and safety. Moreover, operator safety and equipment development also require the agreement with rigid design and construction standards. (...)